Cup dispenser



Spt. 11, 1928. 1,683,950

F. L. BORCHERT CUP DISPENSERl Filed Oct. 22, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 5f mw v10/@aww Sept. ll, 1928.

F. L. BoRcHERT CUP DISPENSER Filed Oct. 22, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. ll, 1928.

F. L. BORCHERT CUP DI SPENSER 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed oct. 22,'1926 IIIIIMINI uw uw VPatented Sept. 11, 192,8.

' UNITED STATES Kann LBORCHERT, or Roc'nron-n, ILLiNoIs.

CUP DISPENSER.

Application led October 22, 1926. Serial No. 143,340.

' This invention relates to cup dispensers and more particularly a dispenser especially adapted for machine operation for use in automatic machinery, where posit'ivenessv in operation as well as the capacity for'speedy operation. becomes an absolute necessity. y

The present device, although not limited to use in connection with an automatic machine such as a filler and capper, is particularly well adapted to the requirements of a machine of this kind by reason of the fact that it will not, under any circumstances. release more than one cup at a time nor will it dispense a second cup to any stationV of a conveyor. Neitherl will it fail to supply a cup to any station by reason of the cups sticking` to one another. Obviously, a dispenser of this character offers the advantage that there will be no possibility of the machine becoming jammed, which happened whenever aV number of cups were fed to one station ofthe conveyor and fouled with the iilling or capping mechanism or some other part of the machine. Nor can there be a loss of material and consequent messing of the machine by reason of the failure of the dispenser to supply a cup to any particular station of the "conveyor, which sometimes occurr'eo with the ordinary type of cup dispenser' where thecups failed` to droop due to their becoming stuck together inthe stack. n

' A further and important feature of the Vpresent dispenser lies in the fact that the cups are not dropped singly in a way which would permit of their becoming cocked sidewise and fail to arrive in proper position on the conveyor of the automatic machine, but are directed and `guided by moving with the stacl: into position on the conveyor so as to eliminate any uncertainty as to the proper ldisposition of the cup when dispensed. This Vfeature is particularly important where quantityproduction requires speeding up the operation of the Inachiiie to the point where ai many' as t5 cups, or even more. have to be di pei per minute. under which circumances Vthe ordinarv types of cup dispensers t occn found to be impractical and to give serious trouble., y l

yThe novel method of operation just referred to permits of the use of a simple means to strip olf the dispensed cup from the stack in the event there is any tendency for `it rto' adhere,and also enables the use of a novel means' whereby adjustment' may be ymade to adapt the dispenser to operation with cups of slightly different characters. i

v The linvention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, whereinf Fig. 1 isa front viewof a Iilling and cap-A ping machine equipped with a cup dispenser made in accordance with my invention;

Figs. 2. .3 and Il: are enlarged fragmentary elevational views of the cup dispenser illus trating-the .method of operation thereof;

Fig. 5' is a fragmentary plan vie'wof the cup gripping jaws with a cup helditherebetween and is a View taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Figs. 6, 7 andS are sectional views to better illustrate vthe construction of the cup dispenser as well as to further illust-rate the novel method of operation. `Figs. 6 and 7 are taken on the lines'-S and"7-7, respectively, of Figs. 2 and 4. f

Throughout the views the same reference num eralsl are applied to corresponding parts.

As stated before, the cup dispenser of the' present invention is not limited tof machine operation but may be manually operated, as 1n the case of a vending machine. However,

I prefer to illustrate the same in rconnection with a filling and capping machine as shown in Fig. 1, which corresponds to that shown in my copending application, Serial No. 72.618, filed December 2,1925: lAs stated in. said' application this machine makes what are known as packaged sundaeswhich are individual cups intendedfor delivery to thev ultimate consumer as a handily made-up confection for home or picnic consumption. The cups or other containers used for this purpose are preferably of waxed paper which p are relatively inexpensive and intended to be thrown away after they have served their1v hurpose.

Referring toFig. 1, the cups or other suit'- able containersA lOare fed` one by one from an l upright container 11 into openings 12 provided inthe plates of an endless linked-conveyor or belt 13.Y The latter isfed step by step fromend to end of a frame 111 which constitutes a unitary support for the cup dispenser 15, of which the container 11 forms a part, the cream dispenser 16', and the capping y mechanism and cap ldispenser 17, which comprises an upright container 18 for caps. For the present purposes it will suliice to state that the cups are supplied one by one from the dispenser 15 to the conveyor 13 and pass beneath a rider 19 andby keeping the saine elevated prevent the stoppage oi" the machine, as described iii my copending application above referred to. '.Aiiter passing the rider the next station reached by the cup-is beiieath the lirst et two measuring' cyliifiders 2l) from which a measured amount of sherbetis dispensed into thc cup, in case the .cups 211'@ to be lilled withsherbet and cream. The next station is beneath the second cylinder 2O Jfrom which a measured amount ot crean'i is dispensed siillicient to lill the cup.' The tllled cup aiter leaving the creamv dispenser is closed witha cap by the capping mechanism at 17 and, in the course or several more step by step advances et the conveyor 1,55, enters upon lingers 21 extending toward the nia- ,chine from a ,chute 22. The filled cups ire renioved-itrom the-chute and placed inte .cans

which are removed te a hardening reoiii. The

produetionoif l the .filled cups proceeds at a rapid rate, as many as l5 or more cups being tilted per minute. The motor 23, which provides the power for the driving` oit the cup dispenser, the cream dispenser and the cap feeding and applying mechanism, coniinunic ates .power 'to the main drive slialt 2li.

"llhrough the intermediary oit suitalile cams (not shown), oscillating' 'movement is given a lever 25 at the back of the machine to recipl recate a link 26 to operate the cup dispenser 15. From this point on reference will be had more particularly. to Figs. 2 8, inclusiva-foi' a more detailed discussion el my iin- .proved cup dispenser.

The cup dispenser comprises thc upright container. 11 preferably open on one side so 'l'batthc stack et nested cups 10 will be visible to the operator and he can easily see when thc supply et cups is nearly exhausted. The container 11 is refifeive-d iii a base portion 27 slidably mounted on a paire'tl guide rods 28 tor -nioveinent up and down with respect to the conveyor 13. The baseportion 2"? is also slotted as at 29 to inake the stack of cnps visible to the last. rlhe guide rods 28 vproject vertically and in' parallel relation from a. block `l() secured, as by means of the bolt 31, to the trame 14 oi the machine. A pair et vcup gripping jaws 32 is pivotally mounted on the container base 27 as at 33, tor inovenient indicated by con'iparison oipFigs. 2 and The jaws 32 are contouredas atl-341 to lit nicely about a cup just beneath the rolled riin portion 35 so as to hold tliecup 'firmly and without crushing. rThe jaws Y32 constitute extensions from the bell crank lever portions 3G by means of which they are pivoted to the container base 27. The hell crank lever portions 86 provide arms 37 extending toward eachother, as appears in 241, tobe pivotally connected, as shown atBS with: the link 26, The pivot pin 38 is riveted to one o'l the arms 37 and has capacity for Vsliding motion container base 27 comes into engagement with an elongated head 41 provided on the boit 3,1 and serving as a stop, thc-link 2,6l is lree to nieve with respect to the container hase, as'indicated in Figs. /l and f?. i'ihis v-niovenient of the link with r respect to the iontainer base serves to open and,V close the remain closed until thecontainer arrives at the lower Vend ofvits stroke whereupon the jaws are opened by the 'further movement et' the link 2G with respect to the container. The opening o'l'l the jaws allows the stack .oit

cups to drop so that the lowerinost cup ,enters and seats in the opening` 12 in a linker the conveyor 13. The rim portion 35 seats ontop oft' the link about the opening. asV indicated .in Figi'. 7. In this operation it will be clear that the stack of cups has moved a solid column and pointed the lowerinost cup directly into its opening` inA the conveyor. V he cup was thereby positively directed and guided into place so that there could be no i possibility of its becoming cocked to one, sideV or another, as was the case in other types oi cup dispensers where the cupwas causedto drop an appreciable distance after being re'- leased from the stack. Furthermore, whenV the cup has entered the opening el: the ronveyor it is squared up properly by the weight of the stack ot cups resting thereon. The cup gripping jaws are closed on the commencinent of the upstroke oic the link 26, as indicated in Fig. 8. Thejaws grip the next to the lowerinost cup and raise the stack with it out of the cup that has been dispensed. The 'features next to be described have reference te the provision of novel means whereby it is insured that the cup'dispensedwill notbe picked up with thepstaick on the withdrawal ot' the latter.y clue to the cup sticking orbcing wedged on the stack, and also to the teature whereby the cup dispenserinay be readily adapted to ,operation with cups offslightly but, at the end ,et the downV stroke when the different characters, as for example where the cups to be used are made of paper of somewhat different thickness vwhich might produce avariation in the spacingof the rims B5 ywhen the cups arenested.y

- lwith a lug 45 provided on a plate 46 when in its operative position. The plate '46, as shown in Figs. 68, is held in position with the block 30 by the bolt 3l. The dog 42 is arranged to be movejd to, an out'of the way position when the container arrives at vthe lbottom of its'stroke'so thatthe stack of cups is perfectly free to drop down to position the lowermost cup in the conveyor. provided on tlie'container base 2'( engages the-dog 42, as shown in Fig. 7 and moves the same to an out of the wayposition against the action of the spring 44. However, inimediately upon the raising of the container the plate 47 nieves away from the dog, as shown in 8,' and the4 latter is rmoved out to its operative position in between the lowerniost cup and thev nexty cup just above.

Then, if there is any tendency for the lowermost cup to adheie to the stack and to be raised with it in the raising of the container. the dog 42 will strip'the cup off the stack and retain it in the conveyor, Under ordinary circumstances the dog may not come into play as the lowermost cup will, lof itself, remain on the conveyor when dispensed. However, there are times wlieu the cup, due to a possiblel compression of the stack, has become wedged in the stack and will not become sep# arated so readily in which case the dog will serve the purpose'of forcingtliecujli off the bottoni of the stack. vOftentin'ies the paraffin lcoat-ing on Vthe cups: will cause ythe cups to stick to one another, especially in warm weather and in that case alsothe dog 42 insures the removal ofthe cups one' by one as they are dispensed. The dog is suitliciently close tothe conveyor so thatvthe cup does not have an opportunity to rise very far out of its opening in the conveyor before' it is stripped off the stack. The cups, therefore` drop back easily into place when stripped olf and will notV be cocked up in an improper position. Thus, there is no likelihood of the machine being jammed by a cup fouling with any part of the mechanisml rllie cup gripping jaws 32, it will be clear, operate in a fixed spaced relationship with respect to the lower'end of the container 1l,

A pl ate 47 v particular station.

or more specifically, the lower Vend of the container base 27.' Thus, when the container is in its lowermost position as respects theco'iiveyor the jaws 32 vin opening and closing operate in a predetermined spaced relation vto the conveyor. I, therefore, provide the head portion 4l on the bolt Bl of a proper length to provide for a predetermined clearance between tlie aws and the conveyor in the opening and closing/of the jawsv so as to insure proper gripping engagement of the j jaws with the next .to the' loweriiiost cup of the staclrafterthe stack has been released and is resting onr the coi'iveyor. "Obviously, the

clearanceto be left between thejaws and the y conveyor will depend on what the distance is lbetween the rims of the vcups in the stack. The vdistance between-the rims of the cups in the stack will vary slightly vif the cups are made of thicker or thinner stock. ing the length of the head .4l the container -wiil be'spaced differentlywith respect to the conveyor'when it comes into contact with the head 41 and the cup gripping jaws will accordingly operate closer to'or farther from the conveyor depending on whether the head 4l is shorter or longer. `In this way, it is positivelyinsured that the jaws will pickup all but the bottom cup lofthe stack atr each operation of the dispenser yto and from the conveyor'. Instead of making a variation in the length of the head 4l it is obvious that Y the bolt Sl'inay be provided as an adjustable set screw and having a lock nut to secure the same in its adjusted condition.

lt is believed that the foregoing description makes it clear that the dispenser can never release more than one cup at a time under any circumstances.- Neitheris there A'any possibility of the dispenser failing` to rdeposit a cup to each station. The present dispenser, unlike any other dispenser of which I am aware, will not repeat the dis-v pensing of a cup to any particular station.

.In certain cases, as for Iexan'iple where the Yoperator has stopped the machine to make lsome adjustment or repair and might in so doing turn the'coiiveyor back a step or two,

. the ordinary dispenser under such conditions would dispense a second cup to one or more stations, which would cause a jani if the niachine were allowed to proceed before the operator noticed the trouble and would stop the machine .to remove the surplus cups. vlith the presentdispensei' there is no possibility of dispensing inoi'e than one cup to any Assume, for example, that 'the conveyor is turned back so that a stat-ion containing` a cup is brought beneath.

the dispenser. In that case, when the vdispenser isl lowered the stack is entered iii the cup already dispensed. The' gripping jaws will then pick up all but thelowerinost cup *soV that only one cup will, in anyI event, be

leftin any station of the conveyor. The

elimination of all possibilities of jan'iiiiing arising from the operation of the dispenser makes the present dispenser particularly well suited to use in automatic machinery, espeeially'where a large number of cups have to be handled per unit of time.

It is believed that the foregoing conveys a clear understanding of the objects and possible uses of my invention and wiiile I have illustrated but a single working embodiment itshould be understood that changes might be made in details of construction or arrangement without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

`l. In a device of the character described, means toy contain a stack of nested cups in a column, a support to receive cups dispensed thereto, said cups to be dispensed one at a time, gripping means normally supporting said column by its lowermost cup in elevated .relation to said support, and means to operate said gripping means to lower the column to a position slightly above the support and to then release the column so that the same drops onto the support, said gripping means being thereupon operated by the last mentioned means to grip the column by thesecond to the lowest cup and to raise the column from said support.

2. AV device as set forth in claim l, includ` ing means disposed at such an elevation with respect to said support that it is arranged to engage the top of the lowest cup in the event the same adheres to and commences to rise with the column of nested cups when the latter is raised from the support whereby to strip the sametherefrom.

3. In a dcvicefas set forth in claim l, the provision of a part arranged to be changed to vary the distance left between the support and the column of nested cups before the release thereof in the lowered position of the latter whereby to accommodate the device to operation with different cups.

4, In a device of the character described, means for containing column of nested cups,

a support to receive cups dispensed thereto one at a time, and means forv gripping and moving the column of nested cups, said means being arranged to lower the column to the support and to' release the column and regrip it just above the bottom cup and withdraw all but the bottom cup whereby to insure against the possibility of depositingl more than one cup under any circumstances.

5. In a device ofthe character described, an

upright container for nested cups, a support beneath said container arranged to receive the lowermost cup of the stack,v a member serving to grip the lowermost cup of thev stack and to support the stack thereby, a part .Connected with said member for raising and lowering the coi'itai-ner thereby relative to vdiifei'ent cups.

said support, said part being arranged when nioved'relative to said containerto operate (i. A device as set forth in claim 5, wherein 'y the stop'is arranged to be changed to vary the distance left between the stacl; of cupsv and said support in the loweredposition of the stack before the release there-of whereby to accommodate the device to Operation with r. A device asset forth in .claim 5, including means at suchan elevation with respect to said support vthat the same Ais arranged to engage the rim of tlierlowermost cup and strip the same from the stack upon the withdrawal of the stack therefrom.` s

8, In a device of the ,character described,

a frame providing a yseat forthfe `depositing of cups one by one thereon, an upright con# tainer for a stack of nested cups mounted v,on Y said frame for movement up and down, the

stack of nested cups therein being thereby yalso moved up and down with respect to said seat on said frame, means-moving with saidy container for supporting the stack of cups at the bottom thereof, means`V for positively operating .the last means so as to release the stack at the lower end of the stroke of said containerand means at said seat on said frame for engaging the lowerm-ostcup of the stack in the lower portion of the stroke of said container to strip the same from theV stack on the upstroke of the container.

9. A device as set forth in claim 8, in-

`cluding means lfor limiting theY downward movement of said container arranged to be changed to permit the lowering of the container to a different extent to suit'requirements in the operation of ysaid device with different cups, the operationA of said means for oijierating the cup supporting means being advanced or retarded accordingly.

l0. In a device of the characterdescribed,

`he combination of afraiiie providing ascat whereon Cupsare arranged to be deposited one by one, an upright container for a stack of nested cups mounted on said frame for movement up and down, the stach` of nested cups therein being thereby also moved up and down with respect to the seat on said frame,

a pair of opposed gripping devices-mounted on and moving with said container serving to grip the lowerinost cup of the stach theiein and thereb f su a Jort the stach said erin-L 4 s a mi I ping devices being arranged te be opened and closed in a d einite spaced relationship tothe ioo iio

iso Y determined spaced relation with respect to the seat on said frame to insure the depositing of only a single cup.

11. A device as set forth in claim 10, including a dog so disposed with respect to the seat that it lies above the rim of the lowerinost cup deposited on said seat and is ar ranged to strip the saine off the stack event it adheres to and is raised with the stack in the upstroke of the container.

12. In av device-as set forth in claim 10,

the provision in connection with the seat on said frame of a dog so disposed with respect to the lowermost cup deposited on said seat as -to lie in the path of said cup and strip the saine off the stack in the event it adheres to and is raised with the stack lin the yupstrolre of the container, said dog being yieldable for movement to an out of the way position when the container is at the lower end of its` stroke,

and said container havinga part to engage' said dog to retract the saine from operative position.

cup dispenser comprising a. frame having a. part thereon arranged toreceive aA cup, an upright container for a stack vof nested cups to be dispensed, means on saidv frame providing aguide for said container for movement up and down, cup gripping jaws pivotally mounted on said container to open and close forv releasing and gripping the stack of nested cups, andineans for moving said container up and down and for operat-ing said cup gripping. jaws whereby the latter stay closed during up and down movement of said containerbut are arranged to be o'penedand closed when the container arrives at the lo-wer end of its stroke.

14. In a cup dispenser as set fo-rtliin claim 13, the provision of a variable stop for limiting the downward movement of said conin the tainer to determine the .spaced relationship between the cup receiving part on said frame and the cup gripping'jaws at the point where the latter open and close whereby tosuit the requirements of the particularcups being. vdispensed.

15. In a cup dispenser as set forth in claim 13, the provision on said frame of a dog serving to get in the way of the cup that has been dispensed to strip the same from the'staok in the container in the event the said cup adheres thereto land is raised with the stack in the upstroke of the container.

16. A cup dispenser comprising a frame onto which-cups are to b'e dispensed one by one, a container for a stack of nested cups. mea-ns on said frame providing a guide to permit movement of said container-up and down with the stack of nested cups therein, a pair of opposed cup gripping jaws on said container pivotally mounted to open and close to release and grip the stack of nested cups, and a reciprocating elementvfor operating said container, said cup gripping jaws having bell crank lever arms, pivotally connected with said reciprocating whereby said jaws are arranged to be opened and closed at the lower endof the strokev of said container but are normally held closed throughout the remainder of the up and.

down .movement of said container.

17. In ak cup dispenser as set forth in claim 1.6, the provision of a stop on said frame serving to limit the downward movement of said container to permit the movement of said reciprocating element with respect' to said container to operate the cupk gripping jaws.

18. In a' cup dispenser as set forth in claim 16, the provision of a. stop on said frame serving to limit the downward movement of said container to permit the movement of said reciprocating element with respect to saidY container to operate the cup gripping jaws. said stop being arranged to be changed to change element the point at which relative movement is per- In witness of the foregoing I afix my signature. y

FRED L. BO'RCI-IERT. v

eERTtFICATe op eoRREeTIoN.

Patent No. 1,683,956. Granted september 11, 192e, t@

FRED L. eoReHeRT.

It is hereby cei'tfied that effet appears in the printed speeification ot the above numbered patent requiring -correction as tolows: Page 5, elaim 12, tine 23, commencing with the word "In" strike out Aall to and including the Word "strip" itt line 27, and insertinstead ."A device as set forth in claim, 10, including a dog so disposed with respect te the seat. that it: ties above the rim of rthe lowermost eup deposited en said seat and is arranged te strp"; and that the said Letters Patent should be tread with this correction therein that the same may eontorm te the teeord of the case in the Patent Office,

Signed and sealed-this 23rd ay o Qeteber, A.. D, i928,

M. J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents, 

